“Despite the current economic and political challenges we face in Detroit, I believe that Detroit and Michigan have a bright future – a belief that is grounded in a deep faith in the creativity and character of the citizens of this great state,” said Rev. David Bullock, Pastor of the Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church. “I am inspired by aspiring political leaders like Jocelyn Benson, who clearly understands what we have known for a long time; namely, the destiny of Detroit and Michigan are inextricably linked.”
More than 50 people joined Benson – a law professor at Wayne State University – at a news conference outside the Highland Park Secretary of State’s Office to cheer her on as she announces plans to improve access to state services as Michigan's next Secretary of State.
“The office of Secretary of State is a place where fair enforcement of election law and compliance with campaign finance regulations must be enforced, and Jocelyn Benson has dedicated her life to working for fair elections,” said Gary Brown, Detroit City Council President Pro-Tem. “Because of her commitment to a fair and equitable electoral process, she is the most qualified person for the position, and with great enthusiasm I fully endorse her as the Democratic Party’s candidate for Michigan Secretary of State.”
In addition, Benson has received support from a number of Detroit church leaders, U.S. Congressman John Conyers (D-Detroit), State Senators Martha Scott, Irma Clark-Coleman, Hansen Clarke, and Tupac A. Hunter, all from Detroit; State Representatives Bert Johnson, Shanelle Jackson, David Nathan, Fred Durhal Jr., Rashida Tlaib, Coleman Young Jr., Gabe Leland, Tim Bledsoe, and Bettie Cook Scott, all from Detroit; Tim Killeen, Wayne County Commissioner; Paul Massaron, Eugene Driker, Gary Pollard, Richard Bernstein, all members of the Wayne State University Board of Governors; Reginald Turner and Casandra Ulbrich, State Board of Education; Virgie Rollins, DNC Black Caucus Chairwoman; Ken Coleman, Detroit City Charter Commissioner; Leontine Person, President of the Bewick Block Club; Pearl Reynolds, Detroit Senior Advocate; Maureen Stapleton, Candidate for 4th District, State Representative; and AFT Michigan.
"We need to ensure our state government is doing everything it can to ensure that the citizens... all throughout Michigan have access to government services in these crucial economic times," Benson said at a February 15 rally.
She expressed her commitment to one-stop services, "so that when citizens are busy, they know they can just go to one place and get access to all their state services in one place.
Benson expressed special concern that Michigan's neediest residents have access to state services. She has also pledged to investigate campaign finance violations, fraud, and deceptive practices; improve access to elections and protect the integrity of the democratic process, by working to modernizing Michigan’s system of voter registration; promote uniformity and fairness in drivers safety and licensing and ensure accuracy and transparency in the charging of all licensing fees, among other initiatives.
Prior to attending law school at Harvard, Benson lived in Montgomery, Alabama. She worked for the Southern Poverty Law Center as an investigative journalist, researching hate organizations. In 2007, Benson worked with several groups to successfully block the closure of a Secretary of State branch office in Buena Vista Township, Michigan. Based on her advocacy, the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that the closure of the office would violate the Voting Rights Act.
Prior to her appointment as a Professor, Benson served as a law clerk to the Honorable Damon J. Keith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. From 2002 to 2004, she served as the Voting Rights Policy Coordinator of the Harvard Civil Rights Project, where she worked on the passage of the federal Help America Vote Act. In March 2010, Benson’s book, Democracy and the State Secretary of State, will be published. The book highlights best practices of Secretaries from throughout the country and seeks to inform voters about how Secretaries of State from either side of the political spectrum can work to advance democracy and election reform.
For more information, visit www.votebenson.com
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